Sports bra with impact padding

ABSTRACT

An impact resistant unitary brassiere includes a first fabric layer coupled to a second fabric layer and an impact force absorbing pad embedded between the fabric layers. The pad rests in use over a wearer&#39;s bony regions. The bony regions may include a clavicle, a thoracic vertebra, or both. The bra may be worn daily by itself or under a shirt to support the clavicle and thoracic spinal and to prevent injuries during any type of physical activity such as may be caused by barbell impact.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 63/201,734, filed May 11, 2021, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sports bras and, more particularly, toa sports bra with impact padding.

Women sometimes incur clavicle and/or spinal injuries when using abarbell. Currently manufactured sports bras only support women's breastsduring exercise or physical activities; they do not provide impactpadding in either the front or back of the bra for weightlifting.

As can be seen, there is a need for a garment that provides impactpadding to the clavicle and spinal regions for use during free weighttraining.

The present invention provides a sports bra garment with supportiveimpact padding to the clavicle (front) and/or spine (back), offeringprotection against clavicle and/or spinal injuries when using a barbell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an impact resistant unitarybrassiere comprises a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer coupledto the first fabric layer, and an impact force absorbing pad embeddedtherebetween, wherein the impact force absorbing pad is configured torest in use over at least one of a wearer's bony regions selected fromthe group consisting of a clavicle, a thoracic vertebra, and acombination thereof.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a sports bra according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a sports bra according to another embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a sports bra according to another embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a sports bra according to another embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a rear view thereof;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

As used herein the term “high neckline” refers to a garment having aborder configured to rest at the juncture between the neck and the topof the collarbone and the term “high back neckline” refers to a garmenthaving a border configured to rest at the nape of the neck.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is an impact resistantunitary sports brassiere with a layer of impact force absorbent paddingsecured between an inner layer and an outer layer of the sports bra atthe wearer's bony regions, including the clavicle region and/or at thethoracic vertebrae of the spine region to provide impact protection. Thesports bra will also provide breast support.

The inventive sports bra may be made according to the following method.A person may make a high neckline (for clavicle) or a high back neckline(for thoracic spine) sports bra, inserting one or more impact padcomponents between the inner and outer fabric layers of the bra. Toprovide coverage and support to the two (right and left) clavicle bones,two impact pads (one on each side), for example about 8 millimeters (mm)in thickness, may be securely sewn in the upper front of the sports brain between two layers of the sports bra to prevent movement of theimpact padding within the bra over multiple uses and washes. To providesupport to the thoracic part of the spine, one impact pad, for exampleabout 8 mm thick, may be securely sewn in the upper back of the sportsbra in between two layers of the sports bra to prevent movement of theimpact padding during multiple uses and washes.

The materials of manufacture are not particularly limited. The fabric ofthe sports bra may be any breathable active material, such as nylon, andany suitable breast support padding. The impact padding may be made of anatural rubber and/or a synthetic rubber, such as guayule, neoprene, ora combination thereof. The impact padding may have a range of shapes,such as a substantially crescent shape to protect a clavicle and asubstantially rectangular shape to protect the spine.

The inventive sports bra with impact padding may be used as follows. Auser may wear the sports bra by itself or under a shirt tosupport/prevent clavicle and/or thoracic spinal injuries with barbellactivities or during any type of physical activity. The sports bra mayalso be worn during daily activities.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 9, sports bras 10, 22, 28, 34 according toseveral embodiments of the present invention comprising fabric 16 areshown in use on a wearer 18. Each bra 10, 22, 28, 34 has a front paddingcomponent 12, 24, 30, 36 and a rear padding 14, 26, 32, 38 componentembedded in the fabric 16, positioned to protect the wearer 18 fromclavicle or spinal injury upon weight impact.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An impact resistant unitary brassiere comprising:a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer coupled to the first fabriclayer, and an impact force absorbing pad embedded therebetween, whereinthe impact force absorbing pad is configured to rest in use over atleast one of a wearer's bony regions selected from the group consistingof a clavicle, a thoracic vertebra, and a combination thereof.
 2. Theimpact resistant unitary brassiere of claim 1, wherein the impact forceabsorbing pad contains a natural rubber or a synthetic rubber and has athickness of about 3 mm to about 13 millimeters.
 3. The impact resistantunitary brassiere of claim 1, wherein the first fabric layer and thesecond fabric layer are configured to form a high back neckline and theimpact force absorbing pad is configured to rest in use over at leastone thoracic vertebra of the wearer's spine.
 4. The impact resistantunitary brassiere of claim 1, wherein the impact force absorbing pad hascomponents configured to rest in use over the wearer's clavicles andthoracic vertebrae of the wearer's spine.
 5. The impact resistantunitary brassiere of claim 1, wherein the first fabric layer and thesecond fabric layer are configured to form a high neckline and theimpact force absorbing pad is configured to rest in use over at leastone of the wearer's clavicles.
 6. The impact resistant unitary brassiereof claim 5, wherein the impact force absorbing pad has two components,each of which is configured to rest in use over one of the wearer'sclavicles.